


Homecoming

by LittleMissDreamHeart



Series: A New Path [1]
Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Charles isn't happy, Erik Has Feelings, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Light Angst, M/M, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Drug Use, Post-DOFP, Reconciliation, and he's done putting up with things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 20:19:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4759661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissDreamHeart/pseuds/LittleMissDreamHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-DOFP, Erik has been doing some soul searching and pays Charles a visit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Homecoming

The autumn air was crisp as he made his way across the grounds, dry leaves crunching underfoot. The mansion was mostly dark with only one or two lights on here and there. Thankfully this included his intended destination: the library. Erik positioned himself under the window and then levitated up, unlocking and lifting the window as he did so.

The library was empty, and very different to the last time he’d been in there. The antiques were mostly gone, and there was less furniture, probably to make space for Charles’ wheelchair. A flare of guilt went up in Erik’s chest, but he pushed it back down fiercely. There was still the low table before the fireplace, upon which was the chessboard, now in front of one chair rather than between two. Erik sat down. He didn’t have the helmet, so Charles almost definitely knew he was there. He idly glanced over the titles of the various books on the shelves.

He didn’t have to wait long before the door opened and Charles wheeled in with practised ease. He looked better; the beard was still there but it was trimmed, and his hair was clean. Erik met Charles’ eyes. The blue gaze was unwavering, but didn’t hold as much anger as Erik was expecting.

The two stared at each other for several moments, nothing being said verbally or mentally, until Charles broke the silence. ‘I should probably tell you to fuck off.’

Erik concurred with a tilt of his head. ‘You probably should.’

Charles wheeled until he was opposite Erik across the table. It seemed, Erik mused, that they were always facing off against each other.

‘How very poetic of you,’ Charles mutters.

Erik grimaced. ‘Already digging around in my mind Charles?’

Charles sighed heavily, rubbing at his eyes with one hand. ‘No, I’m not digging, you’re just loud. Although you could hardly blame me for wanting to be cautious Erik.’ The telepath looked into the dying fire. ‘I’ve spent the last eight months trying to get my life back together. I’m not using the serum, I’m sober and clean, and I have a level of control over my powers again. We even have a small number of students staying here. Not every day is perfect, but....’ He broke off and met Erik’s eyes with his own, determination now back. ‘I haven’t rebuilt all of that for you to sweep in here and ruin it.’

Erik nodded.

‘I’m glad.’ He really was. There was a small part of him that worried that after everything which had happened in Washington Charles might simply fallen back into the hole he had previously been in. He couldn’t stand the thought of Charles wasting his powers, his intelligence, or that beautiful nature of his to help and protect, naive though he found it.

If Charles had heard what Erik was thinking, he gave no indication. ‘What about you, my friend, what have you been doing?’

The old term of endearment wasn’t meant to hurt, but Erik flinched nonetheless. ‘Have you heard from Raven?’

Charles looked confused for a moment, whether for the seemingly random change in topic or for the use of Raven’s given name rather than her code name Erik wasn’t sure, and then shook his head.

‘No, well, not for a while anyway. She came by not long after Washington to check on me and Hank and to let us know about Logan; apparently she fished him out of the river, although now he’s off doing whatever he was up to before he came to us. She didn’t stay long, but we had some long overdue conversations. She said that she’d visit from time to time. I know it’s for the best, she has to live her own life, but I still can’t help but miss her.’

So maybe there was possibility of redemption. But Raven had only left; Erik had done far worse, he knew. He took a deep breath. ‘Charles,’ he began, ‘what happened in Washington, I am so-‘

‘No!’

Erik froze. Charles’ face was still calm, but his voice was hard.

‘I won’t go through it all again, Erik. I can’t accept your apologies only for you to throw them back in my face when it suits you.’ He glanced across the room to the sideboard where, Erik recalled, a small liquor cabinet had sat in years gone by. It was no longer there, replaced by a record player and a stack of vinyl. Charles’ hand gave an odd twitch before he clasped it tightly in his lap and he looked back to Erik.

‘This time is different,’ Erik pressed, leaning forward in his seat.

Charles scoffed ‘How?’

‘This time I’m willing to admit I was wrong.’

It was Charles’ turn to freeze. ‘Excuse me?’

‘I’ve been laying low since Washington, ten years out of the world tends to throw one for a loop when they re-enter it. I saw that the reaction to what had happened, to what Raven did, was one of celebration of mutants rather than of fear. Some called for investigations into mutants as I expected, yes, but many others called for peace and inclusion. And....’ Erik sighed and rose from his chair only to sink down to his knees in front of Charles. He took it as a good sign that Charles didn’t push him away immediately. ‘I’m tired Charles, so tired. I’ve lived for so long solely for the cause, running head-first over and over again into the same wall and getting nowhere. I want to find a different path, one that might enable me walk beside you once again.’

‘Erik, are you saying-’

‘I want to come home Charles, if you’ll let me.’ Erik reached out tentatively, slowly, as if Charles were an animal he were afraid of startling, and placed his hands on top of Charles’. ‘It won’t be easy or simple, I’m not foolish enough to think that, but I’m willing to try and find a common ground between our methods. However I understand that what I’ve done might be too much, even for you. If you tell me to leave in order to protect your students, or yourself, then I’ll go.’

He had said his piece, albeit not as well as he had intended. Silence consumed the room. It was as if the seconds were dragging, or as if Charles had frozen him with his powers. The still flickering firelight made shadows dance around the room at random, the only movement whilst the two men sat engrossed in their thoughts.

When Charles speaks it is barely above a whisper. ‘Stay.’

‘Do you mean it?’

‘I’ve always meant it.’ Charles tugged Erik’s hands and pulled the other man until their lips crashed together. Erik immediately brought one hand around to cup Charle’s cheek, the other resting high on his waist. Both of Charles’ hands were on Erik’s shoulders, holding him steady. After the first kiss came another, then another and it was as if the floodgates had opened. Erik slid his tongue into Charles’ mouth, drawing a light moan from the telepath. Charles tasted of tea and faintly of lemon. It was wonderful and Erik lost himself to the sensation. He had thought for so long that he would never get to do this again. Suddenly Charles broke away. ‘Wait.’

‘What is it?’ Erik tried not to panic, but it was hard. Had Charles changed his mind? Was he about to call Hank? Throw Erik out? Possibly even call in the authorities?

Charles had definitely heard that and grabbed Erik’s hands before the other man could bolt. ‘I’m not having second thoughts Erik, but..... _this_ has to wait. I want you to stay, God knows I want you to stay. However, working together is one thing, trusting you with my heart again is another.’ He brushed his thumb over Erik’s hands tenderly. ‘I need time. I think it would do us both good; we’re different people now from when we first met. Would you be willing to take this slowly?’

The waiting game. It was something Erik had become accustomed to over his life; first hunting down leads for Shaw, then all those long years in the Pentagon. Part of him wanted to argue, feeling that they had been apart for long enough and should take what they wanted, but Erik let out a long breath and calmed himself. Charles was right, however they felt about each other they were changed men from who they used to be. Erik had hoped that by coming here tonight, it would be a step to changing for the better. He gently pulled one of Charles’ hands to his lips for a chaste kiss before nodding and returning to his chair.

Charles smiled, his first true and genuine smile since Erik had arrived, and for Erik the weight in his chest that he had been carrying for over a decade lifted just a little bit. ‘Thank you, my friend. Chess?’

Erik smiled back. ‘That sounds perfect.’

**Author's Note:**

> This will be the first part in a series, A New Path. 
> 
> The Paris Peace Accords took place in January 1973, putting this in late September of that year. This also means that the extra in hotpants at the White House scene standing behind Charles in some shots must have been really really cold. But hey, she looked fabulous.


End file.
